The artwork titled “Drawing Submitted to the Fourth Estate’s Art Competition. A Winged Figure Representing the Press Holds the Earth in a Series of Strings” was created by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge in 1896. This piece, stemming from the Romanticism art movement, is a symbolic painting that encapsulates the role of the press within society.
The artwork depicts a winged figure, symbolizing the press, who appears to be suspended in mid-air while holding the Earth with a series of strings. The figure’s wings are prominently displayed, conveying a sense of divine or ethereal influence. The strings attached to the Earth suggest control, influence, or connection, emphasizing the press’s global impact. The piece exudes a sense of dynamism and authority, reflective of the Romanticism movement’s focus on emotion and grandeur. The minimalistic background, featuring another celestial body in the distance, further accentuates the central themes without distraction.
